


It Had To Be You

by halfsweet



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 20:34:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7376455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfsweet/pseuds/halfsweet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Patrick has been feeling down after finding out that Pete has a girlfriend on their supposed date, but his roommate manages to make him feel better again. When his stepmother states a casual observation, Patrick starts to wonder about his feelings for his roommate.</p><p>-</p><p>"I'd say someone has quite a crush."</p><p>Patrick chokes on his drink and starts to cough violently, reaching for the napkin his stepmother hands him while simultaneously ignoring her knowing smile. "W- What?"</p><p>(alternate Brentrick ending to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/5504639">Coffee Shop Soundtrack</a>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Had To Be You

**Author's Note:**

> You guys asked for this. You wanted Patrick to end up with Brendon. And since I'm a sucker for Brentrick, so have this. This has been in the works for about 2 months now, so I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> Credit goes to [Armin_too_deep](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Armin_too_deep)! Thank you for the idea! I hope you like it! (it's a little different tho, but totally inspired by your idea!)
> 
> Also, I'm sleep deprived (36+ hours now) while writing to complete this, so I'll check on any mistakes when I'm fully awake later. Enjoy!

"How you feeling there, Stumpy?"

"I don't know." Patrick sighs, rolling on the couch as he faces his roommate, who is currently sitting on the floor and flipping through the channels. "I'm feeling a little bit hungry, though."

"I offered you my share of burger earlier. You're the one who refused."

"Your stomach was fucking conducting an orchestra. I wasn't going to starve my roommate just because I wanted a bite or two."

Brendon leans his head back against Patrick's thigh, frowning. "What makes you think I was going to give you two bites? You should be lucky I even gave you one."

"Because I'm heartbroken?" Patrick looks at his roommate, jutting his lower lip out and making a sad face.

"Because you're heartbroken." Brendon repeats in a monotone voice.

"Because I'm heartbroken, _and_ you're the most caring person in the world?" Patrick tries again, ending the question with a hopeful lilt.

Brendon tilts to look at him and sticks his tongue out. "Patrick Martin Stumph. World's greatest casanova. You have such way with words to get what you want."

Patrick purses his lips in annoyance and rolls onto his side, facing the back of the couch. "It didn't get me Pete," he mumbles quietly.

He hears Brendon sigh from behind him. "Patrick…"

"I was silly to even think that I might have a chance with him. Of course someone as kind as Pete already has a beautiful girlfriend," Patrick continues, sighing.

"That's not what you said about her personality though," Brendon chuckles, and Patrick can't help but to chuckle along. "Yeah, she's a major bitch. But she's gorgeous, though. Pete deserves someone like her, not me."

"Trust me, you're the most amazing person in this world. Anyone would be lucky to have you." Brendon smiles, ruffling his hair. Patrick whines and slaps his hand away before rolling onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "I wish I can believe that."

"Pete's just another guy in your life. A chapter in your book. You still have, like, a million more guys to see and meet."

Brendon pushes Patrick further into the couch, earning himself a protesting grunt from the shorter boy, and slides next to him. Of all the countless times they've been on the couch, Patrick never quite figures out the answer as to how they're able to fit on the small, cramped space when they're laying together.

"I don't see a million though. I only see one in the living room, and he's taking up space on _my_ couch." Patrick scoffs as he elbows Brendon away from him.

Brendon laughs and rolls down onto the floor, slapping Patrick's arm when Patrick intentionally drops his hand onto Brendon's face. "Good. Just keep your eyes on him. You don't need a million, you only need one."

-

Patrick only decides to go back to his original shift once he feels like he's ready to face Pete. It doesn't take him long, only around three weeks. As he struts into the cafe, he sees Pete behind the counter, preparing to starts his shift.

He stays quiet for a few seconds, just observing the older boy, and is delighted when the attraction that he feels for his partner isn't as strong as last time.

He grins and skips over to the counter, tapping Pete on the shoulder with a finger.

"Patrick! You're back!" Pete greets with a smile as he runs over to him, pulling him into a bear hug. "I've missed you! What happened? Why did you change your shift? Fuck, Patrick, I'm so sorry about the other day-"

Patrick chuckles as he places his hand over Pete's mouth, effectively stopping him from rambling further. "I'm _fine_ , Pete. Don't worry about the other day. You know I have a bad case of anxiety. Sorry for running away."

He has already come up with believable excuses the night before, and judging from Pete's lax form, the older boy seems to believe his words.

Pete nods, a hint of relief in his eyes, and Patrick drops his hand, picking up an apron and going behind the counter. "Anything new? Did Brendon terrorize our regulars?"

Patrick's missed the loud bray of laughter from Pete the most over the past few weeks. It's warm and nice and homely to hear.

"No, he didn't. Maybe a couple, I'm not sure." Pete chuckles, then straightens up, face solemn. "I'm serious though, 'Trick. Did something happen? Why did you change your shift?"

"The lecturer wanted to do extra classes to prepare us for our finals. I couldn't just say no, so I asked Andy if I could change shift, and he said I could," Patrick shrugged, hoping that Pete buys the lie. "That's where Brendon came in."

"Just please tell me next time," Pete pats him on the shoulder, worriness taking over his features. "I was really worried. I thought I really screwed up on that day, and-"

Patrick laughs and bumps their shoulders together to stop him from talking. "Pete. It's okay. I promise I'll tell you next time if I change my shift, okay? Now let's get to work."

-

Patrick throws the sheet to the edge of the bed after failing to fall asleep for the past hour. It frustrates him. He's been tossing and turning around on his bed, keeping the sheet on and off, tucking his legs in and out, yet he still can't fall asleep.

He lets out an exasperated sigh and heads to the kitchen for something to quench his thirst. Maybe after a drink or two, he'd be able to go back to sleep.

Although, when he sets his foot out of his bedroom, he notices that the living room is illuminated by the TV screen, and that his roommate is sitting on the couch. He'd bet all of his record collection that Brendon is playing Xbox right now.

Patrick sighs once again and walks to the living room, sitting next to the dark-haired boy. Lo and behold, his roommate _is_ playing a first-person shooting game on low volume.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" Brendon asks, not keeping his eyes off of the TV screen. "I thought you'd already went to bed."

"Can't sleep." Patrick mumbles, leaning back into the couch. Brendon pauses the game and turns to him, placing the controller down.

"You wanna know the perfect way to get yourself to sleep?"

"Drink warm milk?" Patrick blinks, somewhat sure of the answer, though he knows he's far wrong from _Brendon's answer_ when he notices the infamous grin on his roommate's face. "Brendon?"

"I saw my parents did it a couple of times when I was a kid. My dad would put on a song and pull Mom into a dance. By the end of the dance, they're both sleepy."

Patrick can't help but smile at his roommate's idea. Trust Brendon to come up with the idea to dance in the middle of the night as a cure for insomnia.

The taller boy walks to the speaker and plugs in his phone, pressing play.

The music starts to play, surrounding the room with the sound of smooth jazz. Brendon turns around with a silly grin on his face, and it brings warmth in Patrick's chest.

Patrick only looks up at him in amusement, lips curled into a smile, as Brendon pulls him up and puts his arms around him and begins to sway them around the room, singing along to the song.

_"L is for the way you look at me_  
_O is for the only one I see_  
_V is very, very extraordinary_  
_E is even more than anyone that you adore can"_

Patrick presses his face into Brendon's shoulder and laughs when Brendon begins to imitate the sound of the trumpets. His laughter grows as Brendon lifts him up and spins him around before placing him down. When the next verse comes, he sings with Brendon, grinning all the way.

By the time they reach the last verse, they slow down the dance, evidently tired. They're both catching their breaths, but Brendon recovers faster. He doesn't move them around anymore, only rocking back and forth slowly.

_"Love is all that I can give to you_  
_Love is more than just a game for two_  
_Two in love can make it_  
_Take my heart and please don't break it_  
_Love was made for me and you"_

Patrick lets out a small yawn. His eyelids are beginning to droop, so he rests his head on the taller boy's shoulder. The song continues to play, and he chuckles as Brendon sings the last line, ticklish at the feeling of warm air brushing against his ear.

_"Love was made for me and you…"_

The slow back-and-forth motion almost lulls Patrick to sleep, and he hums lazily when Brendon calls his name.

"You sleepy yet, Stumpy?"

Patrick huffs a laugh and nods, pulling away to smile up at him. "Yeah, I am. Thanks."

He yawns once again and walks back to his room, Brendon following behind, in case Patrick bumps into something in the way. There had been an incident where Patrick was beyond tired that he didn't even see the coffee table in front of him, and he ended up tripping over it. Brendon even had ten or twenty pictures saved in his phone as proof.

As soon as he reaches his room, he crawls into his bed and hugs a pillow to his chest, then glances sleepily at Brendon, who is standing next to the bed.

The taller boy just smiles and pulls the blanket up to his chin before standing up to leave. "Sweet dreams, sleepy Stumpy."

Once Brendon has left his room, Patrick rolls onto his back and closes his eyes, sleeping with a smile on his face.

-

Patrick's rekindled his relationship with his father and stepmother around a month ago, and he regrets that he didn't do it sooner, because his stepmother is freaking _awesome._

Since his father is working that day, and Patrick doesn't have any classes for the remainder of the day, he agrees to meet his stepmother for a little chat.

So, now, they're sitting at one of the tables, two drinks and a plate of assorted pastries between them, catching up with one another.

"How are you feeling now, Patrick? With Pete? Everything okay?" His stepmother asks.

Patrick nods and smiles as he remembers how Brendon had helped him to get over Pete. "Yeah, everything's okay. We're okay now. We're back to the way we used to be."

"That's great to hear. I was afraid that-"

He stops paying attention to her for a while as his eyes catch sight of Brendon smiling at him. Patrick smiles back, albeit a little bashful, and turns back to his stepmother, only to find her looking back at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What?" Patrick asks, unnerved under her all-knowing gaze.

"Your friend works here too, doesn't he? But on a different shift," his stepmother asks, curious.

Patrick glances at his friend across the shop, then turns back to her, shrugging. "Yeah. We're roommates. His shift is right now, actually."

He picks up his drink and places the cup near his mouth, his eyes flicking towards the front to see his roommate pushing his glasses up and smiling as he greets a customer.

"I'd say someone has quite a crush."

Patrick chokes on his drink and starts to cough violently, reaching for the napkin his stepmother hands him while simultaneously ignoring her knowing smile. "W- What?"

"What?" She blinks in innocence.

"I- I don't- I do _not_ -" Patrick splutters with a red face, "I- _what?_ "

At that moment, Patrick makes a mistake to dart his eyes towards his roommate again, who raises his eyebrows in concern at him and mouths an _'Are you okay?'_. Patrick nods, face heating up, and Brendon smiles before turning to the customer in front of him. Patrick ducks his head down and fights the blush from forming on his face.

Damn it. Since when did he start to blush about his _roommate_?

"Hey, it's okay." A comforting smile is on the woman's face, and it calms Patrick down. "You have nothing to be shy about. I bet the feeling's mutual."

"We're just-" Patrick clears his throat when his voice breaks in the middle. "We're just friends. Roommates. He- he doesn't like me like that. If he does, I would know."

"Oh, sweetie." His stepmother makes a disappointed sound and leans back in her seat, sighing dramatically. "You're just like your father and your brother. I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Patrick pouts at her, slightly offended. He's _definitely_ not like his brother. Patrick's, like, way better than him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm saying that some guys can be clueless at times."

"I'm _not_ clueless."

His stepmother smiles at him. "You weren't even aware of your feelings for your friend until a few minutes ago."

Patrick slumps down in his seat and crosses his arms, looking affronted. "That doesn't mean anything."

"Well, one thing's for sure, though. I can guarantee you that your feelings are not one-sided."

Patrick slowly uncrosses his arms as he looks back towards the counter, where Brendon is currently shoving Spencer and Dallon - who are both laughing at him - back to their places. Patrick doesn't know what it's about, but it makes him curious when he sees a flustered expression on Brendon's face.

"Trust me. Your roommate likes you just as much as you do."

"I- I don't know." Patrick drops his gaze back to the coffee on the table. "I don't want to get my hopes up like last time."

Sure, he's gotten over Pete, but that still doesn't mean he's not afraid of rejection. His stepmother gestures him to come closer, and Patrick leans forward. "What is it?"

"I'll teach you a few tips. You can try them on your roommate," she whispers and winks as she motions over to Brendon.

Patrick raises a skeptical eyebrow, half amused with his stepmother, half interested to find out if his roommate really does have feelings for him. "And how do you know these tips?"

His stepmother covers her mouth and giggles before straightening in her seat, raising a cup of coffee to her mouth, all graceful and mysterious. "A woman knows these things. Besides, your siblings had their 'crush' phase too."

Patrick shakes his head fondly at her as he takes a bite out of his muffin. He can't wait to test her theory and see whether Brendon harbors feelings for him.

And if he does, well, Patrick will just see how it goes.

-

_"Eye contact. He'll look at you a lot, and secretly when he thinks you're not watching."_

Patrick yawns from his couch, setting his laptop aside and stretching his body. He's been working on his assignments for two hours now. His back creaks loudly, and he groans in satisfaction.

He slides down the couch until his legs are extended below the coffee table in front of him. He wiggles his toes, grinning at the funny sight, and he looks over to his roommate, who is sitting on a beanbag with his laptop in his lap, smirking at him.

"Brain fried there, Stumpy? Nobody laughs when they're wiggling their toes."

"Yeah?" Patrick lazily smirks back. "They must be living a boring life, then."

Brendon laughs and shakes his head, shifting his gaze back to the screen of his laptop and pushing his glasses up. "Whatever you say, Stumpy."

They settle back into silence, continuing their work. Well, Brendon is. Patrick just stares at the ceiling, a melody playing in his head. His eyes slowly close as he begins to hum the tune. Soon, he unconsciously taps his foot on the floor, his hands drumming on his thighs.

It only lasts for a minute or so, and when he opens his eyes, he notices Brendon's gaze on him. His cheeks turn red, and he looks back up the ceiling, still humming.

Ever since his stepmother made him aware of his attraction towards his roommate, Patrick has been noticing all the small details surrounding Brendon. Like the way he pushes his glasses up, the way his fingers are situated on the keyboard, the way he holds a pen and spins it around his fingers when he's not writing.

When he tilts his head, Brendon is looking at his laptop, so he glances at the wall across him. He peeks at his friend and finds that Brendon is staring at him again.

He's tempted to ask Brendon if there's something on his face, but he knows that that's not the reason why Brendon keeps staring at him.

So, he just keeps his mouth shut and continues humming, sneaking glances to his roommate every now and then.

-

_"And if he glances at your mouth, that's a major sign that he's attracted to you."_

"I'm leaving now." Brendon calls out as he walks to the door, grabbing a jacket along the way.

"Bren, wait." Patrick walks up to him, ignoring the fluttering in his chest. Brendon hums in question and looks at him, one arm hanging from his jacket. "What is it?"

"Can you buy dinner when you get back later?"

"Yeah, sure. Anything in mind?"

 _This is it._ "Pizza's good. Or tacos." Patrick sinks his teeth into his bottom lip and lets go. The action makes him feel so… so _promiscuous_ , and he wills for his blush to go down. "Or anything, really. I don't mind."

Patrick follows where Brendon's gaze lands, and notices that he has his eyes fixated on his mouth, and he's biting his own lip. Blood rushes to Patrick's face at the attention. "Yeah. Um, pizza. And coke."

"Sure. Don't miss me too much." Brendon grins and ruffles his hair before leaving, like nothing happened.

He watches Brendon's retreating back until it completely disappears from his sight, and he places a hand over his face. His face is not just warm.

His face is _burning._

Patrick closes the door and groans, face still crimson. How can Brendon act so _casual_ after what happened? He can't even keep a straight face when Brendon started to bite his lip. He groans again once he realizes the problem in his pants.

Getting Brendon to confess is harder than he thought.

-

_"See how his friends act when you're around. Do they tease him? Do they smile at you like they know something you don't?"_

Patrick has finished his classes for the day, and he's heading to the cafe to fuel up before he has to work his ass off for his assignment that's due tomorrow. He knows that it's Brendon's shift now, so he figures that he'll buy something, do his work, wait for Brendon to finish with his shift, then head back to their apartment together.

He yawns when he enters the cafe and walks straight to the counter, where Brendon is serving another customer. He looks around the shop to find an empty spot to sit later, and is glad when he finds one near the corner.

He sweeps his gaze over the cafe and stops at the end of the counter, where Spencer is grinning and waving his hand at him before nudging Dallon, who beams up immediately when he sees Patrick. Patrick returns their smiles, waving back at them.

"Stumpy!"

Patrick rolls his eyes at the name and steps up to the counter. "Can I have-"

"A regular with two caramel shots and an extra espresso shot?" Brendon finishes his sentence, grinning.

"And-"

"And egg and cheese sandwich?"

Patrick quirks an amused eyebrow at him. "Am I that predictable?"

"I know you _too_ well, Stumpy." Brendon laughs. "Dine in or take away?"

"Dine in." Patrick sighs, adjusting the strap of his bag. "I have a crapload of assignments to do. The wifi's pretty good here, so I'll just stay until I finish them."

He pushes down the knot in his stomach at Brendon's gleeful expression. "That's great! We can go back together, and then-"

"Oh, my love!"

Patrick looks over to the other end of the counter and sees Dallon standing in front of Spencer, his hands clasped around Spencer's in front of his chest. "What gorgeous eyes you have, my love. Words could never describe such beauty."

"Oh, sweetheart," Spencer says in a high-pitched voice, cupping Dallon's jaw with his free hand. "You must be talking in front of a mirror, for _you_ are the most gorgeous thing my eyes have ever laid on in my entire life."

"Oh, Spencer…" Dallon sighs dramatically.

"Oh, Dallon…" Spencer follows his action and places his hand over his forehead. "Take me. Make me yours. _Mark_ me- _Ow!_ "

Patrick's eyes widen, jaw dropped open, when Brendon throws a pen, hitting directly on Spencer's head. "Get back to work, assholes!"

Dallon and Spencer burst into maniacal giggles and double over the counter as their giggles escalate to full-blown laughter. Patrick tears his gaze to look at Brendon, who's muttering something under his breath. Patrick blinks.

_Is that a blush on Brendon's face?_

Brendon sighs and scratches the back of his neck. "I'll send them to you when they're done."

"Thanks," Patrick smiles at him and takes out his wallet. "Eight fifty?"

"Eight fifty." Brendon nods, affirming the total price. Patrick hands him the exact change and walks to the table he spotted earlier, hoping that it's not occupied still. He sits down on the chair and takes his laptop out, turning it on.

Dallon and Spencer's laughter can still heard in the shop, mixed together with Brendon's loud exclamations of _"Shut the fuck up, assholes!" "Quit it already, you fuckers!" "I fucking hate you guys."_

Patrick's grateful that his back is facing them, because he's pretty sure his face is beet red when he finally understands what Dallon and Spencer were doing minutes ago.

That still doesn't stop the butterflies from fluttering in his stomach when Brendon walks over to deliver his order, though.

-

_"He's protective of you."_

One of the reasons Patrick likes working at the coffee shop is because the owner, the tattooed kindhearted vegan who goes by the name Andy Hurley, is a _complete sucker_  for one of the shop's workers- _Joe Trohman._

Joe is aware of that fact, and he's not afraid to use it. Whatever Joe says, goes. And in this case, Joe says, _"Let's throw a party, Hurley! To celebrate_ your _very successful business, of course. Totally not because we want to release our tension for our upcoming finals or anything."_

It's a load of bull, but hey, Andy said yes, and that's all that matters.

When he arrives with Brendon that night, the place is already crowded with some other students who work on different shifts. Another reason Patrick likes working at Andy's shop is because Andy helps college students who are in desperate need of money to get a part-time job, and everyone who works there are close to each other like a second family.

He spots Brendon's shift partners, Dallon and Spencer, at a corner of the room. Then, there are Dan and Kenneth, whose shifts are after Pete and Patrick's. Joe's like a whirlwind in the shop, greeting and making conversation with everyone in sight.

To this date, Patrick still doesn't know who Joe's partner is. He's always at the shop, joining everyone's shifts. Everyone suspects that he likes Andy as much as the owner likes him, that's why he spends most of his time at the shop.

He shakes his head when Brendon gently tugs him inside, holding him by the elbow. His breathing quickens at the bodies surrounding him. There are too many people in the shop, and Patrick's not exactly a fan of crowds.

"Stick close to me," Brendon says to him.

Brendon stays ahead of him, clearing the path for him, and Patrick's skin tingles everytime Brendon glances over his shoulder to check on him. Also because Brendon is still holding him.

He stumbles to the side when a body crashes into him, but Brendon quickly pulls him to his feet and to his side. "Watch where you're going, Gabe." Brendon scolds the taller boy.

"Sorry, dude," Gabe says in a hurry, his head turning left and right like he's searching for someone. "I need to find- hey! Get back here, you fucking ass!"

Gabe disappears through the bodies, chasing after someone. If Patrick has to guess, probably one of his other four shift partners. He has no idea why Gabe needs that many partners, but whatever makes him happy. Andy's very lenient like that.

He lets out a relieved sigh when they finally reach a less crowded area. He tugs on Brendon's hand, catching his attention, and smiles up at him. "Thanks."

"No problem," Brendon grins, and Patrick sees Pete walking towards them. And that's when he remembers another tip from his stepmother.

_"He gets jealous."_

"Patrick!" Pete grins, slinging an arm across his shoulders. Patrick grins back, elated to see his partner in the mess of their co-workers. "Hey, Pete."

"Glad you can make it to the party." Pete continues, hands still on his shoulders. "Brendon, hey!"

Patrick hides his grin when he sees Brendon's slight eye twitch and his wide smile, a little _too_ wide, on his face. "Pete." He greets simply.

"Oh, right!" Pete suddenly exclaims, his attention back to Patrick. "Let me get you a drink!" Then, he shuffles closer to Patrick, head leaned towards his ear. Patrick takes the chance to angle his body towards Pete, but making sure that Brendon is still in his peripheral vision.

"Just between the two of us, Trohman's going to spike the drink when the clock strikes ten," Pete whispers, oblivious to Brendon's annoyed scowl directed towards him, but Patrick isn't. And he's having a field time with it.

Also, just because he's wondering what else Brendon can do other than staying quiet and glaring, he stands on his toes and whispers back to Pete. "Thanks for the warning."

He moves back and smiles when Pete laughs, because Brendon is walking, no, _stomping_ his way next to him. "No, that's okay. I'll get the drinks."

Patrick only realizes that Pete's arm is still around him when Brendon keeps glancing - _glaring_ would be a better term - at his shoulder. Brendon is really making everything too easy for him to enjoy the scene.

"Suit yourself, man. It's over there." Pete shrugs, pointing to one side of the room, and Brendon leaves them both to get to the refreshment table. "Is it just me, or does he look a little angry over something?"

Patrick smiles, his eyes following Brendon's back the entire time. "Really? I didn't notice."

-

_"He gets nervous or shy around you."_

Patrick knows it'll never work. For all the years he's known Brendon, he has never seen him nervous, let alone shy, around him. But it's worth the try, he supposes.

And if Brendon really does get nervous around him, then maybe he can use it to his advantage the next time Brendon annoys him.

"Come on. Let's go out for lunch," Brendon suggests as he gets up from the couch, stretching. They've been doing nothing but catching up on a series on Netflix since that morning, only stopping when Patrick's stomach growled in demand for food.

In an attempt to make Brendon fluster, Patrick tries to throw a bait to him. "What? Like a _date?_ "

Brendon laughs and pokes him on the cheek, grinning. "Aww, Stumpy. If you wanna go on a date with me, all you have to do is ask. You don't have to be shy."

A lightbulb goes off in Patrick's head, and he looks at his roommate, smirking. "Well, then. Will you go on a date with me?"

Of course, his plan backfires when Brendon smiles at him, amusement glinting in his eyes. "Thought you'd never ask. I'll pick you up in ten."

"Not a minute late. I like someone who's punctual."

"I won't," Brendon grins. "As long as I get a kiss at the end of our date."

Patrick raises his brows at him, the corner of his lips quirked upwards. "I don't kiss on first dates."

"Guess I'll just have to take you out everyday, then."

Patrick loves it when they're bantering. The words just flow naturally, and he doesn't even have to pause to think of a comeback. He stands up and places his hand on Brendon's chest, pushing him to the side playfully and making his way to his room. "Eight minutes, Urie. Remember, not a minute late."

He closes the door behind him and leans his back against it, body high with adrenaline from their previous interaction. He bites his lip, unable to contain his grin, and throws his head back, looking up at the ceiling.

Okay, so his plan to make Brendon blush doesn't work, but at least he scores a date - and possibly a few in the near future - with him.

Though, he still wants to see Brendon with a red face.

He skips over to his pile of clean laundry on the corner of his bed and sifts through it until he finds a perfect outfit. He changes into his skinny jeans first, then finds himself choosing between a T-shirt, a button-up, and a flannel shirt.

He always wears his T-shirts, and he only wears button-ups when he had to do a presentation. But there isn't really any occasion that requires him to wear his flannel shirts.

_And Brendon's never seen him in flannels before._

He picks up all the flannel shirts he has - all _two_ of them, black and red - and places it on his bed. If he wants to make Brendon blush, then he's going to wear his best. He opts for the black one, since red isn't really his colour.

He strips off the shirt he's currently wearing and puts on a clean shirt before wearing his flannel over it. He leaves it unbuttoned and folds the sleeves up to his elbows. He looks at the mirror and fixes his hair, smiling at his reflection.

When he goes to grab his watch, a knock sounds on his door. He can feel his heartbeat racing. Quickly putting on his watch, he takes a deep breath before opening the door.

Brendon stands in front of him wearing a pair of black jeans and a plain grey shirt, his leather jacket hung between his fingers.  
  
No words are exchanged between them for a few seconds, and _boy_ does Patrick feel good at Brendon's expression. Normally, Patrick has a below average self-esteem, but right now, he feels like he's the most confident person on Earth.

"I look good, huh?" His tone is a little smug when he sees the unfamiliar red dusting his roommate's face. Patrick's definitely going to mark this date in history as the day he gets to make Brendon Urie blush.

Brendon hums and grins, nodding. Patrick is partly amazed at how his roommate can make a blush disappear in just less than ten seconds, and partly disappointed at how his roommate can make a blush disappear in just less than ten seconds.

Well, it was good while it lasted.

"Damn right you do. Your ass is good."

Patrick scoffs and crosses his arms, but that doesn't stop the butterflies from fluttering in his stomach. They had this conversation before, and he stifles his smile at Brendon's smirk. Before he can retort, Brendon cuts him off.

"Don't worry. Your personality's good, too."

-

Patrick huffs in anger as he kicks the sheet away, frustrated that he can't fall asleep again. He scowls and looks up at the ceiling, wondering what his past life did for him to suffer through this sleepless night.

"You know, I can hear you kicking the bed all the way from my room."

Patrick's scowl deepens at the sight of Brendon leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, a smirk plastered on his face. "Shut the fuck up, Bren. I can't sleep."

Brendon enters his room, uninvited, but Patrick's already used to him barging into his room to even be mad at him.

"Come on," Brendon smiles as he extends an arm towards Patrick. "Get up, Stumpy. I'll serenade you to sleep."

Patrick's hesitant to get up from his bed, but Brendon's offer sends a jolt of anticipation throughout his body. As much as he hates leaving his bed, he's not stupid enough to let the chance of Brendon singing and dancing with him fly out the window.

He places his hand in Brendon's, pretending to look annoyed when the taller boy pulls him close, an arm wrapped around his waist. Patrick's face begins to heat up at the contact, and he keeps his head glued on Brendon's chest so he can't see his red face.

"I didn't bring my phone, so you'll just have to suffer with my voice." Brendon chuckles and takes a deep breath before he starts to croon in Patrick's ears, swaying them gently around the room.

_"Why do I do just as you say,_  
_Why must I just give you your way_  
_Why do I sigh, why don't I try to forget_  
_It must have been that something lovers call fate_  
_Kept me saying: "I have to wait"_  
_I saw them all, just couldn't fall_  
_'Til we met…"_

Patrick doesn't want to make it sound like an insult, because it's not, but Brendon's singing voice never fails to bring him to sleep. His voice is just rich, soft to the ears, and Patrick just wants to record his voice so he can play it whenever he has trouble with sleeping again.

_"It had to be you_  
_I wandered around and I finally found_  
_The somebody who_  
_Could make me be true_  
_And could make me be blue_  
_And even be glad, just to be sad_  
_Thinking of you…"_

He closes his eyes, fingers tightening around Brendon's shirt as Brendon continues to sing softly into the room.

_"Some others I've seen_  
_Might never be mean_  
_Might never be cross_  
_Or try to be boss_  
_But they wouldn't do…"_

They're swaying in one spot now, following the melody Brendon is singing. Brendon has slid another arm around his waist when they slow down, and Patrick just keeps his head down, afraid that his face is still red.

_"For nobody else gave me a thrill_  
_With all your faults_  
_I love you still_  
_It had to be you, wonderful you…"_

Brendon has a comforting scent floating around him, a mixture between the sharp, minty smell of his menthol body wash and aftershave and the gentle smell of his baby powder. A smile creeps up on Patrick's face as he buries his nose into Brendon's chest to get more of the scent.

_"It had to be you…"_

Brendon whispers the last sentence as he leans forward, resting his head forehead against Patrick's and closing his eyes. Patrick's heart beats fast at the close proximity between them, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. This is the closest they've ever been with each other.

Patrick flicks his gaze upwards, noticing that Brendon still has his eyes closed, and he bites his lip. Of all the songs in the world, why did Brendon choose to sing a song with the lyrics so, for the lack of a better word, bittersweet?

Sure, maybe he's just overthinking it. Brendon loves Frank Sinatra, so the lyrics shouldn't make Patrick's heart race like crazy. But it does, and he's almost hoping, _wishing_ that it's not just a coincidence. That there's more to it. That there's a reason for Brendon to sing this song.

Brendon still has his eyes closed, and he's leaning into him. Patrick closes his eyes and tilts his head, leaning forward as well. Everything is moving too slowly for him, with the exception of his beating heart, which is currently pounding in anticipation. Their breaths are mingling together at the small space between them, and they're just _so_ close now, a little more-

"Goodnight, Patrick."

Patrick snaps his eyes open at Brendon's voice, and he hides his hurt when the taller boy puts a distance between them. What crushes him even more is the fact that Brendon is acting like they weren't just about to kiss seconds ago.

Brendon turns around and leaves the room without saying anything else. Patrick stands still, dumbfounded. Dumbfounded, and _hurt._

He rubs his face, his whole body burning with frustration, and walks to his bed, getting under the covers. If Brendon wants to forget about the damn near-kiss so much, then Patrick will do the same. In fact, he'll forget everything between them and treat Brendon _strictly_ as roommates from now on, nothing more.

-

When Patrick walks into the kitchen to eat his breakfast, Brendon is just getting out of the kitchen, an apple in his hand. They don't say anything to each other, not acknowledging one another a single bit. Patrick just moves aside to make way for Brendon and proceeds to take out his bowl and cereal.

Brendon doesn't say goodbye on his way out, and Patrick doesn't even bat an eyelash.

-

_"Patrick! How are you?"_

The boy smiles at his stepmother's voice. "I'm fine. Are we still meeting each other today? Class is canceled, so I have the whole day all to myself."

_"Sure. Meet you at the cafe?"_

Patrick looks at his watch, frowning when he sees the time. Brendon's shift just started half an hour ago. "Let's meet somewhere else. I'm kinda tired of the place."

_"Of course. Just text me the address, and your Dad and I will meet you there."_

"Okay. See you guys soon." Patrick hangs up and quickly texts her the address to a restaurant on the other side of town. He grabs his keys and his jacket and makes his way to the restaurant.

It's been a little over a week since he last talked to Brendon, or more specifically, since the almost-kiss incident. They've been avoiding each other like plagues every day, locking themselves in their room and not going out.

Patrick doesn't even spend his time on the couch anymore, and the Xbox has been abandoned for a while.

That night, Patrick goes back after midnight, a little late than he prefers. He opens the door quietly to the dark apartment and tiptoes to his room. When he passes Brendon's room, he can see light coming out from underneath the door.

And as he pushes his bedroom door open, the door accidentally making a creaking noise, he wonders if it's a coincidence that the light from Brendon's room immediately goes dark.

-

"I'm staying over at Dallon's tonight." Brendon says as he walks into the living room, grabbing his jacket before heading to the door.

Patrick bites the inside of his cheek, fingers clenching around the pen he's holding. He gives out a non-committal hum, not saying anything else after. It's not too long after that he hears the sound of the front door closes, and he heaves a frustrated sigh, leaning back into the couch.

Things between them has turned a complete 180 since that night. They rarely exchange words now, and even when they do, it's to only tell the other if they're coming back that night or not.

Patrick's getting tired of it. He doesn't want everything to be awkward between them anymore. They almost kissed. So what? He likes Brendon, and he's almost completely 80% sure that Brendon returns the sentiment. So, what's the problem?

What is Brendon so afraid of?

-

A few days later, Patrick is baffled with Brendon's sudden change in behaviour. He's preparing his dinner when Brendon suddenly enters from the front door with a smile on his face. "I'm home, Stumpy!"

Patrick looks at him in confusion, head tilted, but not saying anything quite yet.

"Oh, man, I'm fucking full. What are you cooking there? Mac and cheese?"

His fists are clenched by his side, anger simmering at the way Brendon is acting. First, he's ignoring him, and now he's back to being how he was before?

"Wait, let me take a quick shower first, then we'll eat together. I think I have some room left in my stomach."

"Dude, what the hell?!" Patrick fumes as he grabs Brendon by the elbow before he can leave, turning him around and glaring at him. He's going to take matters in his own hands, and Brendon better has his answers at his disposal because Patrick is ready to hurl him out the window anytime. "You've been ignoring me for two weeks now, and suddenly you're being all friendly again?!"

"What are you talking about?" Brendon asks with a faux clueless look on his face as he pries Patrick's hand away. "I didn't ignore you."

Patrick grits his teeth, stepping into Brendon's space. "Screw you. Seriously. You've been ignoring me since that night when we kissed."

"We didn't kiss."

" _Almost._ " Patrick hisses, angry that Brendon still has the nerve to pretend that everything didn't happen. "Don't you dare deny it, Brendon. You and I both know what happened that night. We almost kissed, and you backed out at the last minute."

Furious. Boiling. Livid. Seething. Infuriated. That's all Patrick feels at the moment as he stares at Brendon's calm face. "You need to take a deep breath, Patrick."

"Brendon, you _dick._ " Patrick's voice begins to rise in volume. "Drop the act already! Do you like messing with me? Is that it?"

He backs away a little, still glaring at the dark-haired boy. " _'Oh, hey, I have an idea! Let's drive Patrick crazy by kissing him, then pull away before we actually kiss, ignore him for two weeks, then pretend nothing happens!'_  Well, you know what, Brendon? You're a-"

The rest of his sentence is cut off when Brendon cups his face and yanks him forward in a heated kiss. Patrick, stunned at the turn of event and the pair of lips on his, freezes in his spot.

Is- is Brendon kissing him?

His eyelids flutter close when Brendon tilts his head for a more comfortable position. It feels good, in a sense of first-kiss kind of thing. It was hot when Brendon pulled him into a rough kiss seconds ago, but that was purely from the heat of the moment.

The kiss is gradually turning soft, their lips brushing gently over each other, and Patrick can't help but think that _this_ feels more like a first kiss. It's awkward, hesitant, unsure, but that's why Patrick loves it. It's them.

"I don't want things to become weird between us," Brendon whispers as he pulls away, their foreheads rested against each other. "I'm not sure how you'd take it if I kissed you that night. I don't want to lose you, Patrick. If friendship is all I can have from you, then I'm willing to take it as it is."

Patrick still closes his eyes, fearing that this is all just a dream. He doesn't dare to make a sound either. This dream is everything he's ever wished for, and he doesn't want to wake up from it.

"We've been treading on a dangerous line, Patrick. Friends should just remain friends, and I can't cross to the other side. If I did, _if we did_ , everything would be at stake. Our friendship would be at stake. I'm not willing to lose you, Patrick. That's why I've been ignoring you. Both of us need to clear our heads before it can turn into something deeper. I thought two weeks is enough for us, but clearly it's not."

"I kept thinking of you. I want things to go back to the way it was. I want us to be able to talk and joke and laugh freely. I want to hold you, like how I always do. I want to see you everyday, even if it's just for a second. I just want you, Patrick."

Patrick dares himself to open his eyes, and he's greeted with the sight of Brendon gazing back at him, his brown eyes wide and fearful, yet hopeful at the same time.

"Brendon…" he breathes out. Now that Brendon has explained himself, Patrick gets where he's coming from. He's right. Up before the almost-kiss, they've played along the border. The flirtings, the cuddles on the cramped space of the couch, the occasional midnight dances, the songs Brendon has been singing. They're far too friendly to be between 'just friends'.

They managed to stand just fine on the friendship-relationship line before, but lately, they've found themselves losing their balance, teetering left and right, waiting for the other to fall first so they'll follow suit.

In the end, Brendon took the leap first, down into the friendship region. And Patrick had no choice but to follow him, jumping into the same area until both of them drifted away into the strangers land.

But, in reality, both of them know what they want from the start. They fell on the wrong side of the line because they're afraid of losing each other. Now that they're given another chance, back onto the beam of friendship-relationship, they're not going to fall on the wrong side again.

"I l- like you, Patrick."

Patrick is aware that he's blushing, and so is Brendon. The sight of his red-faced roommate in front of him and his confession brings a soothing warmth to his chest. Patrick smiles wide and tilts his head upwards, connecting their lips together. He can feel Brendon's hands slide down to his waist, and he laughs as Brendon smiles into the kiss. He places his hand on the back of Brendon's neck and pulls him in close, both of them deepening and losing themselves in the kiss.

Patrick knows. He knows Brendon wasn't stuttering out of nervousness a minute ago. Brendon was trying to say something else. And Patrick knows what it was.

Brendon's feelings may run deeper than Patrick's, but it's okay. Patrick will get there. He knows he will. And one day, he will say the intended words back at Brendon.

"I like you too, Brendon."

-

Patrick rolls on his back on the couch and throws an arm across his eyes. It's the weekend, and he has no shift that day. And even though his finals are coming up, Patrick can't really be bothered with studying.

Besides, once he's on the couch, it's going to take a miracle to get him to move.

Patrick groans when he feels a heavy weight settled on top of him. He doesn't have to open his eyes to find out what it is. "Get off, Bren…" He mumbles sleepily, not moving his arm from his eyes. "'M trying to sleep…"

He tries to ignore the heat coiling in his stomach at Brendon's deep chuckle. It doesn't help that Brendon's sitting on top of him either.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

Brendon gives him a peck and moves Patrick's arm away, grinning down at him when Patrick opens his eyes, scowling at the fact that he's just been robbed off of his nap time.

The scowl is, however, wiped off as Brendon leans down to kiss him. Patrick won't complain if he gets to wake up to this every day.

After what seemed like minutes of languid kissing, Patrick stares up at Brendon, who's biting his lip nervously before it turns into a wide, hopeful grin. Patrick rolls his eyes and scoffs. " _No,_ Brendon."

Brendon's face drops as he lets out a loud whine. "You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"I am _not_ calling you _'daddy'_."

"Why not?" Brendon whines again, eyebrows scrunched together as he scowls. "You called me that last time!"

"For one, it wasn't real last time!" Patrick argues back, his voice matching Brendon's loud volume. "And two, I'm not into that!"

Brendon clicks his tongue and crosses his arms, turning his head away in indignation. "I can't believe you're a tease. My own boyfriend. A tease _and_ a kinkshamer."

"I can't believe you actually think I'm going to call you that." Patrick mutters as he, too, crosses his arms. When he turns his face the other way, his stepmother's words ring in his ears.

_"Another sign is that he's mirroring your actions back at you. This is subconscious- he won't even realize he's doing it."_

Patrick's face melts into a smile as he looks up at Brendon, who returns the gesture with fondness in his eyes. They laugh under their breath and lean in close until their foreheads brush against each other, kissing each other softly.

This time, the sign doesn't just apply to Brendon.

This time, the sign also applies to him.

And Patrick finds himself not minding it at all.

"Get the hell off of me. You're heavy."

"Tease."

_"Heavy."_

**Author's Note:**

> I was actually debating between 2 scenes on how they're going to confess to each other: A) a fluffy scene where Brendon asks Patrick to stand in front of a mirror and then says that his crush is standing in front of them, and B) the angsty scene above lol
> 
> I'm suffocating here in Brentrick hell. Can someone just please talk about them on my tumblr? I might end up writing a fic about it hah
> 
> Leave some comments!


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